The Wells Fargo Center was the site of a big night of boxing action on Saturday night, as WBC super-flyweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs) stopped Pedro Guevara in the third round and the IBF welterweight champion. Jaron “Boots” Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs) scored a unanimous decision victory over Karen Chukhadzhian.
(Credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing)
This was the second time Boots Ennis made Chukhadzhian. The first meeting between the two took place on the Gervonta Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia undercard back in January 2023. Ennis had a unanimous decision victory, but he was not happy with his performance.
From an entertainment standpoint, the January 2023 bout between Ennis and Chukhadzhian was a fight that wasn’t appealing to fans. Chukhadzhian had been content to use his footwork to move and not engage, while Boots Ennis intended to provide the action but could not as he struggled to cut the ring
Almost two years later, Ennis and Chukhadzhian faced each other again as Chukhadzhian was the mandatory challenger for the IBF welterweight world title. In the second part of Ennis vs. Chukhadzhian, the fight was more exciting and fan-friendly.
The rematch had more interesting exchanges because Chukhadzhian spent more time in the pocket. The second fight had a completely different look, but at the end of the contest, Jaron “Boots” Ennis defeated Karen Chukhadzhian by unanimous decision.
In the defeat, Karen Chukhadzhian had his moments, and because of those moments, the detractors of Boots Ennis took to social media to express their opinions. One reviewer, Ryan Garcia, posted: “The boots are going to be knocked off me.”
Eddie Hearn and Boots Ennis recognized Ryan Garcia as a possible option, and they also agreed that Vergil Ortiz is another realistic opponent for 2025. During the post-fight press conference, Ennis and Hearn did not know the presence of a self-proclaimed. third option sitting in the room.
While members of the media were asking questions, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs was able to get his hand on the microphone to address Hearn and Boots Ennis.
“Look, we know the two options you want to choose, but there’s always a third option. That third option is the most exciting man in boxing, Blair “The Flair” fighting Jaron “Boots” Ennis in a major hit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, woo!
Promoter Eddie Hearn immediately shot down the idea as he wants Boots Ennis to face a big name opponent in his next fight. When Blair “The Flair” insisted he was a big name, Eddie Hearn responded by saying, “No, I’m afraid you’re not.”
Cobbs went on to state that he is a deserving contender based on the fact that he beat former multi-division world champion Adrien Broner. Hearn was not impressed with the performance because, in his opinion, Broner is a striking fighter. Hearn told Cobbs that he is not a candidate for a fight against Boots Ennis, but it could set up an interesting opportunity for Cobbs.
“I’ve got a good fight for you, Karen Chukhadzhian,” Hearn said. “I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to fight you against Karen. You beat her, we’re going to give you a big fight.”
The idea that Hearn came up with is an excellent idea. Blair Cobbs is a boxer who has spent most of his career fighting for respect. Over the course of 24 rounds, Karen Chukhadzhian was very competitive against Boots Ennis. If Blair Cobbs can defeat a boxer of Chukhadzhian’s caliber, it will definitely open the doors to more lucrative opportunities.
